Glove for base-ball catchers



(No Model.) 2 Sheets-Sheet 1,.

T. A. KENNEDY. GLOVE FOR BASEBALL OATGHERS.

Patehted Apr. 5, 1892;

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(No Model.) l I TiA KflNNfiDY,

GLOVE FOR BASE BALL OATGHERS.

No. 472,482. PatentedApr, 5, 1892.

l enjzit V UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE A. KENNEDY, OF DES MOINES, IOWA.

GLOVE FOR BASE-BALL CATCHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 472,482, dated April 5, 1892.

Application filed May 13, 1889. Serial No. 310,672. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE A. KENNEDY, a citizenof the United States of America, and a resident of Des Moines, in the county of Polk and State of Iowa, have invented a Glove for Ball-Catchers, of which the following is a speci-' fication.

My invention relates to an improvement in that class of devices known to base-ball players as back-stops, being worn by the player on the hand not used for throwing the ball.

My invention has for its object the provision of means by which the whole interior of the hand, including the palm and fingers, may be protected in receiving the impact of a forcibly-thrown ball, together with means by which the protecting devices may be secured on the hand while in use.

A further, object of my invention is to provide means by which the sides of the hand and the ends of the fingers and thumb may be protected from bruising or breaking by the impact of a forcibly-thrown ball.

My invention consists in the combination, with a padded mitten, of a protecting-fender fixed to said mitten and extending along the sides of the hand and continuously across the ends of the fingers, whereby the sides of the hand and the ends of the fingers are protected from the impact of a forcibly-thrown ball.

My invention consists, further, in the combination, with a padded mitten, of a protecting-fender fixed thereto and extending along the sides of the hand and continuously across the ends of the fingers and an auxiliary protecting-fender fixed to said mitten and extending continuously along the sides and around the end of the thumb.

My invention consists, further, in the combination of parts and details of construction hereinafter set forth, pointed out in my claims, and illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figures 1 and 2 are plan views showing the formv and relative positions of the parts of the mitten. Fig. 3 is a detail diagrammatic view of the palm of the mitten-lining. Fig. 4t is a like view of the outer back of the thumb. Fig.- 5 is a like view of the outer front piece of the thumb. Fig. 6 is a like view of one of the two separate pieces which are attached to form the front of the two middle fingers of the mitten-lining. Fig. 7 is a like view of the other of the two separate pieces which are attached to form the front of the two middle fingers of the mitten-lining. Fig. 8 is a like view of the front piece of the thumb of the mitten-lining. Fig. 9 is a perspective View of the complete mitten. Fig. 10 is a detail View of the outer back.

I will proceed first to a description of the interior portion or lining, which when completed constitutes in itself a glove.

The numeral 10 designates the front piece of the lining, which is so cut out as to leave a vertical slot ll, together with the transverse notches 12 and 13, thus forming the front portion 14 and 15 of the index and small fingers, respectively, said front piece 10 being also cut out at 16, at which point the thumb is attached in a manner to be described.

Referring to Fig. 6, the numeral 17 desig nates one of two separate pieces notched at 18. The other one of these two parts or pieces 17 is the same as that shown in Fig. 6, except that the notch 18 is cut in a different direction, as shown in Fig. 7. These two parts 17 are sewed onto the front piece 10 as follows: The piece 17 is adjusted upon the front piece 10 so that its notch 18 is gathered about the notch 13 of said front piece, the point 19 of piece 17 coinciding with the point 20 on front piece 10, the said piece 17 now being in a position at right angles to the front piece 10. The other one of the pieces 17 is adjusted about the notch 12 in like manner. After sewing these two parts 17 about the notches 12 and 13 they, being in an angular position relative to the front piece 10, are brought into a vertical position by being turned over and upwardly and are now secured and in position to constitute the front of the finger-pockets for the two middle fingers. It may be added when in constructing that the pieces 14- and 15 are spread apart, so that the pieces 17 lie between them.

Referring to Fig. 8, 21 designates a thumbpiece cut out into a notch 22, the said thumbpiece 21 being secured on front piece 10 by sewing the line of the notch 22 to the line of the cutout portion 16 of front piece 10. When these operations have been performed,

the front or palm portion of the lining is completed, and I will 110w proceed to a description of the back portion thereof.

Referring to Fig. 2, 2-3 designates the back piece, which is slit to form the backs E24, 25, 26, and 27 of the fingei pockcts and also is so cut out as to form the securing-strap 28. The thumb-piece will coincide with the front thumb-piece 21 and constitutes the back of the thumb-pocket, the finger-piece 2i coinciding with the front finger-piece 15, the finger-pieces 25 and 26 coinciding with the two separate pieces 17, and the finger-piece 27 coinciding with the front piece 1%, so that when the front piece 10 and the back piece 23 are sewed together around their edges and around the edges of the finger-pieces and around the edges of the thumb-pieces pockets are formed for the fingers and thumbs. The finger-pockets are then joined by sewing together the four slits on the back 23, thus forming a complete mitten-lining. Sockets I30 30 are provided, secured to the lining-glove, within which the end of a piece of wire 31 is secured, which wire 31 passes about the sides and outer ends of the fingers. Sockets 3i. are provided, also secured to the lining-glove, within which a piece of wire 33 is held, which wire 33 passes about the sides and end of the thumb. I then dispose upon the front or palm piece 10 of the mitten-lining suitable padding material of the desired thickness, which is sewed=t0 the wires 31 and 33, which padding material is concaved at the center of the palm portion, as shown in Fig. 9. A continuous palm-piece 3i, having a thumbpiece 35, Fig. 5, is then laid upon and stretched over the padding and sewed to the wires 31 and 33, this palm extending over the entire front or face of the mitten. The outer back 86, of one piece and having a cut-on portion 37 for the back of the hand, is then placed upon the lining-back 23 and sewed at its outer edges to the front palm 3i, the edges of the eut-ont portion being sewed to the lining-back 23. This outer back 36 hasattached a thumb-piece 39, Fig. l, which is then sewed to the thumb-piece of the outer palm 3%.

It will be apparent that by reason of the disposition of the cushioning material between the palm 3i and the front piece of the lining a continuous unbroken protecting front is presented to receive the impact of the ball, and, the finger-pockets being located in the rear thereof, the force of said ball is evenly distributed over the entire front of the hand and is thereby deadened.

By means of the continuous fender extending along the sides of the hand and across the ends of the fingers said fingers are rendered substantially integral and a blow against one of the latter will be to a greater or less degree distributed over and resisted by all. The finger-pockets being fixed on the rear face of the padded portion, the whole front is rendered seamless, except the thumb-piece, and

as the mitten is constructed there are no solid portions with which the fingers will come in contact to cause injury or discomfort to the wearer.

I desire to have it understood that I donot limit myself to the precise form and charaeterof fenders as shown; but

\Vhat I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. A glove for baseball players, having secured thereto a fender of approximately U shape extended over the ends and in the plane of the fingers, whereby the sides and ends of said fingers are protected.

2. A glove for base-ball players, having secured thereto a fender of approximately U shape extended over the end and in the plane of the thumb, whereby the sides and end of the thumb are protected.

3. The U-shaped fendcr il, in combination with the sockets E30 30.

4. The U-shaped fender 33, ineombination with the sockets 32 32, fixed to the glove.

5. A ball-players glove composed of an open back that is provided with a strap to overlap the back of the wearers wrist, a fender fixed to the front and side portions of the back; to extend forward around the ends of the fingers, a fender fixed to the side of the glove to extend forward around the end of the thumb, cushioning material fixed to the front of the glove, which cushioning material is concaved at the center of its palm portion, and a cover extended over the front of the cushioning material and fixed to the side of the glove.

6. In a baILcatchers glove, the combination, with a palm extending over the entire inside of the hand and a back fixed thereto, of a fender extending around the forward end portion of the glove and the thumb thereof, as and for the purposes set forth.

7. In a ball-catchers glove, the combination, with a padded palm and a back fixed thereto, of a protectingfender extending around the forward end portion of the glove and an auxiliary fender extending around the thumb of said glove, whereby both the fingers and thumb of the wearer are protected against the impact of a forcibly-thrown ball.

8. In a ball-players glove, the combination, witn a glove-shaped lining, of a fenderextended around the outer edges of the finger portion of said lining, afender extended around the outer edges of the thumb portion of said lining, cushioning material fixed upon the front of said lining, which cushioning matcrial is eoncaved at its central portion, and a cover extended over and fixed to the front of said lining to inclose and secure the said cushioning material.

THEODORE A. KENNEDY.

Witnesses:

M. 1. SMITH, THOMAS G.Onw1e.

ICC 

